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NBA Draft Grades: Phoenix Suns Getting High Marks for Ryan Dunn Selection

Matt Newton

Ryan Dunn drives to the basket during the Virginia men's basketball game against Texas A&M at John Paul Jones Arena.
Ryan Dunn drives to the basket during the Virginia men's basketball game against Texas A&M at John Paul Jones Arena. / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is in the books, which means it's time for experts and analysts to give their opinions on the supposed "hits and misses" among the first 30 draft picks. Several major sports publications have released grades for each pick in the first round of the NBA Draft and in reviewing those grades, one of the most popular consensus views is that the Phoenix Suns knocked it out of the park by trading back to take Virginia forward Ryan Dunn with the 28th overall pick.

The Suns, who were initially slotted to pick at No. 22, traded with the Denver Nuggets to move back to No. 28 and acquired three second-round picks in the process, while still likely getting the player they were originally targeting in Dunn. ESPN's Kevin Pelton listed that move as his favorite trade from Wednesday night's round 1 of the NBA Draft.

Kevin O'Connor of the Ringer gave the Suns an A- for their selection of Dunn and said the following about his fit in Phoenix:

"The Suns are certainly at a crossroads with this strange three-star build that hinges on the structural integrity of both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Should they stick with their main guys, Phoenix needs stoppers more than anything. That’s what Dunn is... A hyper-athlete with explosive leaping ability, elite recovery speed for his size, and superior instincts, Dunn is the most impactful defender in the class."

Noah Rubin of NBC Sports gave the Suns an A for taking Dunn at No. 28 and had this to say about the fit:

"Phoenix has enough offense, so they got some defense. It’s a good thing that they don’t need help on offense, because Dunn isn’t ready to provide much on that end. However, he’s arguably the best defender in the draft, and it showed in the box score as he came away with a ton of steals and blocks last season. He should play a significant reserve role for the Suns this season and make a big impact on the defensive end."

WATCH: Virginia F Ryan Dunn Reacts to Hearing Name Called at 2024 NBA Draft

Adam Finkelstein and Kyle Boone of CBS Sports assessed the Suns a B for selecting Dunn. Here's what they had to say:

"One of the best defensive players in college basketball, he is an explosive athlete who didn't get to show it much because of Virginia's pace. He's also a great cutter who can show it with the Suns' spacing. If he can get to the point where defenses have to show him even a little respect as a shooter, he will be a long-term NBA player. But he's not there at all as a shooter yet. Grade: B"

Finally, Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated also Dunn's fit with the Suns, giving Phoenix an A- for the pick. Here's what Sweeney said:

"Dunn is an outlier as a prospect, with ridiculous defensive tools paired with being largely a zero on the offensive end. If there was a perfect situation for him to end up in, it’s probably Phoenix, given the Suns will likely ask little to nothing of him offensively while allowing him to cover up mistakes from what was a middling defensive unit a year ago."

There are more grades out there, but you get the point. The report card is in and it's all A's and B's (and more A's than B's) for the Phoenix Suns' selection of Ryan Dunn in the NBA Draft.

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Matt Newton

MATT NEWTON

Managing Editor and Publisher, CavaliersNow Email: mattnewton@virginia.eduTwitter: @mattynewtssWebsite | LinkedIn | Instagram Matt Newton is the managing editor and publisher at CavaliersNow. He has been covering UVA athletics since 2019 and has been the managing editor at CavaliersNow since launching the site in August 2021. Matt covers all things UVA sports, including Virginia basketball and football news and recruiting, former Wahoos in the pros, and coverage of all 23 of the NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. A native of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Matt grew up a huge Philadelphia sports fan, but has also been a UVA sports fanatic his entire life thanks to his parents, who are alums of the University of Virginia. Matt followed in his parents' footsteps and attended UVA from 2017-2021, graduating with a degree in Media Studies and a minor in Economics in May of 2021.